The Solder Excursion Diversion
"The Solder Excursion Diversion" is the nineteenth episode of the ninth season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The episode aired on Thursday, March 31, 2016. Summary Amy is shocked at a revelation from Sheldon after she buys him a new laptop. Also, Koothrappali sells out Leonard and Wolowitz after they lie to their wives in order to attend a pre-release screening of a movie. Extended Plot Sheldon is skyping with Amy who can't understand him due to video and audio problems with his old computer. He sent her a cryptic email because the S, R and M keys had stopped functioning. She tells him to buy a new computer since his video and audio signals are cutting out. He can't read the sign she held up and can't hear her so she calls him to tell him again to get a new computer. Leonard and Howard are in the lab. It had been over a year since they built something scientific together, but only last week since they built a Lego Millennium Falcon together. Bernie and Penny show up and bring them lunch and join them. Their progress is slow so Penny asks if they could help even though it was a rhetorical question. The girls could wrap some of their pipes with Teflon tape. Penny wonders if it would be funny if after all his years of work if the girls came up with a scientific breakthrough. Leonard didn't find that funny. Sheldon gasps as the video on his computer goes completely dead. Amy rushes in having missed the computer's passing. He starts to play "Taps" and then covers his laptop. She insists that he is being silly; however, he reminds her of the lab monkey she got emotional over when he passed away. That monkey had told Amy that he loved her in sign language. Amy gives him a new computer which should make him feel better. Sheldon is upset that she deprived him of all of the fun of picking out his own since it's a very personal choice. He goes through several requirements for his system which Amy and the "guy" at the computer store have already anticipated. Leonard showed the girls how to wrap their pipes and then they realize that they ran out of solder. Howard and Leonard leave to get it at the hardware store. The girls stay to handle all of the sciencey stuff. After they leave, Penny asks Bernadette what solder is. Next Sheldon asks Amy if she was going to rob him of the fun of setting his new laptop up. He gets excited when it sets up so fast. With the new 4K resolution he tells her he'll be able to count to nose hairs in her nose. She suggests that he just stare into her eyes. She wants to take the old one back to the store so they can recycle it for get store credit. Sheldon does not want to do that. She wonders why he is being weird about it. Instead of explaining it to her, he wants to show her. Amy has to drive them and sign a nondisclosure document like she did before they slept together. Walking down the street with Howard, Leonard says that it's funny that Penny is having fun working on the prototype. She used to have fun at nightclubs and drinking games. Passing a theater, an employee asks them if they'd like to see a preview of the new Wil Smith movie. Howard guesses that it is "Suicide Squad". Since the girls are having so much fun working on the project, they decide to go in and check it out. Penny is marveled that she moved to California to be an actress and ends up in an engineering lab at Caltech working on an advanced guidance system. Bernadette adds that she has made fourteen pieces while Penny has only done three. Raj comes in since he was bored at home and had no one to play with. He is disappointed that everyone can work on the project instead of him. He leaves, but the girls call him back even though he hadn't gone out of ear shot. Amy is driving with Sheldon and wants to know where they are going. People are on a need to know basis. She is driving the car and needs to know. Sheldon simply continues to give her directions before eventually caving. Sitting in the movie eating popcorn, Leonard has a problem with lying to the girls, though Howard doesn't think it's a problem. They text them that they had to go to San Bernadino for the solder and got a flat tire. The girls accepted their lie, though Howard told Leonard that they had to put the spare on the car to verify their story. An announcement is made that they are going to be among the first to see Will Smith in "Suicide Squad". Howard was right. Then he texts Raj to make him feel bad since he really wanted to see this movie. Raj gets the message and immediately tells the girls. Penny doesn't believe what they are doing, but she doesn't want Raj to bust them. Bernadette wants to see how deep a hole they are going to dig themselves into. Amy and Sheldon walk into a storage unit building. Amy wonders what he could be storing and how long he has had it. Sheldon opens up the sliding door and welcomes Amy to his Fortress of Shame. Inside is everything he has ever owned. Books, T-shirts, broken electronics. Even old Zip-lock plastic bags. Amy tells him that there is nothing to be ashamed of, though she needs another minute to tell him why. Back in the lab, Raj suggests that they find him making out with both of their wives. Penny doesn't think that he could handle both of them, which Raj reluctantly agrees on. Bernadette wants them to tell their convoluted story like the girls believe them, and then Raj can jump out of the closet and shout, "Busted!" Sheldon is giving Amy a tour of every clock radio, every calculator, every VHS tape, and piece of sporting equipment: one golf ball his brother threw at his head. He still has his collection of pine cones. Every time he thinks of trying to throw something out, his head and stomach hurt. Sheldon doesn't want Amy to think less of him which Amy doesn't. Sheldon thinks less of himself every time he comes there. Some day how can Sheldon become one with the Internet when he can't even throw out one toothbrush. Amy says that she has saved weird stuff too, like her first brain dissection. Penny runs in saying that the guys are back and Raj goes to hide. They come back to the lab with flowers, an apology and an offer to take them to dinner. Both women accept their apology, and Penny reiterates that they really had fun working in the lab. Raj jumps out from a closet to scare them; however, the girls know the truth. Raj feels that that was anticlimactic, and then Howard wants to tell him the end of the movie. Raj jumps back into the closet and the rest leave for dinner. Back in the storage unit, Sheldon admits that only Amy knows about this place. She thanks him for trusting her. A girlfriend is made for dumping his psychological sewage on. Amy offers to help him with it someday. Sheldon decides to start with the golf ball. Amy is proud of him, though the golf ball gets rolled back inside as Sheldon closes the door. Back at Apartment 4A, Amy and Sheldon tell each other that they feel closer. Also Sheldon still has two hours before he has to go to bed. Amy wants to know what he means. Sex? He sends her to her home so they can Skype together while he lies in bed. Sheldon goes crazy over Amy's image on his new hi-def screen. Amy wonders why they couldn't do it back at his place. Credits * Guest starring: ** Michael Croner as Andre * Teleplay: Steven Molaro, Steve Holland & Saladin K. Patterson * Story: Bill Prady, Eric Kaplan & Maria Ferrari Notes *'Title Reference:' Howard and Leonard go out to buy solder and get distracted by a movie preview. *Taping date: March 1, 2016 *This episode was watched by 14.24 million people with a rating of 3.5 (adults 18-49). *Total viewers including DVR users 19.19 million. *The Big Bang Theory was ranked #2 for the week ending April 3, 2016. *This episode aired in Canada on March 31, 2016. *In the United Kingdom, this episode aired on Thursday May 12, 2016. *Chuck Lorre's vanity card http://www.chucklorre.com/index.php?p=524 *Episode transcript https://bigbangtrans.wordpress.com/series-9-episode-19-the-solder-excursion-diversion/ Critics * Jesse Schedeen of IGN - Sheldon losing his computer was an obvious source of drama for this episode. Sheldon is a guy who craves familiarity and orderliness, and that laptop was his constant companion for many years on this show...(The writers) used Sheldon's computer dilemma as a way of exploring the root of Sheldon's attachment problems and strengthening his bond with Amy...Sheldon can open up to Amy in ways he can't even for Leonard. And for her part, Amy is willing to take Sheldon as he is, with no snarky comments or efforts to force him to change. This episode wound up serving as a very sweet examination/celebration of their relationship...(The other) That story line was backed up by an unremarkable but perfectly enjoyable...The boys saw Suicide Squad...and Penny got to enjoy playing the part of a scientist for an afternoon. *IMDb user reviews http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5522908/reviews?ref_=tt_urv Trivia * Sheldon may have kept everything he ever owned, but how did he get to the storage unit before he knew Amy? Wouldn't Leonard know? And did he have everything he owned shipped from Texas? Not so since we saw his childhood room that appeared to be intact in "The Mommy Observation". ** Sheldon may have taken the bus to take his stuff to the storage unit and then back home, though he prefers being carpooled. * Penny enjoyed helping out Leonard and playing scientist though she technically a technician helping built new equipment. * Penny doesn't know what solder is even though Howard was using it while they were making jewelry with Raj in "The Proton Displacement". Though it is likely that Penny being Penny, she forgot about it in the two and a half years in-between. * Before going in to the movie, Leonard says he liked Will Smith's Shark Tale, a 2004 animated movie. * Amy doesn't share any scene with the whole gang (Leonard, Penny, Howard, Raj and Bernadette) in this episode, except Sheldon. * By this time, Sheldon's laptop is at least three and a half years old; Sheldon having purchased it after selling his previous (identical) laptop (that he got in "The Bozeman Reaction" six years ago) in "The Parking Spot Escalation". Quotes :Penny: Hey, guys. :Leonard: Hey. :Howard: Hey. :Leonard: What are you doing here? :Bernadette: We heard about some sexy scientists working hard all weekend. :Penny: Yeah, so we brought you some lunch and we are gonna go look for ’em. :Leonard: Soup, sandwiches and emasculation. Just like my Mom used to make. ---- :Penny: Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if after all your years of hard work, I’m the one who makes a scientific breakthrough? (chortles) He doesn’t think that’s funny. ---- :Amy: Sheldon, this is silly. :Sheldon: You got emotional when that lab monkey died. :Amy: That lab monkey told me he loved me in sign language. ---- :Leonard: Penny says they’re having fun working on the prototype. :Howard: Remember when her fun was nightclubs and drinking games? :Leonard: I know. I lowering the bar so slowly. This time next year she’ll have a coin collection. ---- :Amy: Why do you have a storage unit? :Sheldon: Just wait. :Amy: How long have you had it? :Sheldon: Just wait. :Amy: Do you want me to hold that computer? :Sheldon: Just wait… You know what? Actually, yes, thank-you. Welcome to my Fortress of Shame. :Amy: What-what am I looking at? :Sheldon: It’s basically everything I’ve ever owned. Um, every book, every T-shirt, every piece of broken electronics. Just…all of it. :Amy: All of it? :Sheldon: I have a Ziplock bag filled with all my old Ziplock bags. :Amy: Okay. Well. I would like to tell you that there is nothing to be ashamed of. So I’m gonna need a minute. (Having trouble processing the situation.) ---- :Bernadette: All right, how are we gonna play this when they return? :Raj: I know. You guys should totally be making out with me. :Penny: Sweetie, I know you think jokes like that are funny, but do you really think you could handle making out with both of us? :Raj: No, ma’am. ---- :Raj: (just gets Howard's text) Uh, would you ladies please the room? :Penny: Why? :Raj: I need to rub my genitals on their prototype. :Bernadette: (suspecting something) What's going on? :Raj: Leonard and Howard don't have a flat; they went to the movies. Look! (walks over to Penny and Bernadette, and they both look at the text message Howard sent) :Penny: Un-freaking-believable. :Bernadette: (at the same time) Son of a bitch. :Raj: You know what? I'm gonna let them know that I'm here with you, and that they're busted. :Penny: No, you know what? Don't, don't. Let's let them think they're getting away with it. :Bernadette: (grinning devilishly) Yeah, let's see how deep a hole they can dig for themselves. :Penny: Mm-hmm. :Raj: Interesting. I mean, it's not testicles on a cyrostat, but I like it. ---- :Sheldon: I’m sorry if you think less of me. :Amy: I don’t. :Sheldon: Really? ‘Cause every time I come in here, I think less of me. :Amy: Why? :Sheldon: Because I’m a fraud. No. I purport to be a man of the mind. I’ve been such a-a vocal champion of the Singularity, but how can I leave my body behind and become one with the Internet, when I never even thrown away a toothbrush? Gallery Cb 9zEDUAAITiTB.jpg-large.jpeg|Script Cover, Guess the Title :) Image 22222.jpeg|Taping Night NM8.jpg|Leonard getting to work with Howard. NM7.jpg|The girls wrapping pipe for the project. NM6.jpg|Raj was not asked to help. NM5.jpg|Excited about how fast his new computer set up. NM4.jpg|The guys say "I'm sorry" with flowers. NM3.jpg|Sheldon excited about the computer that Amy bought him. NM2.jpg|Raj telling about his gal. NM1.jpg|Shamy. Vet2.png|Portrait on the storage room set. ju1.png|Amy breaking up. ju2.png|Amy can't read Sheldon's cryptic email. Ju3.png|Amy's picture is failing. ju5.png|Sheldon's hard to read email. ju6.png|Amy's sign. ju7.png|First time they worked together in a year. ju8.png|The wives come to visit. ju9.png|And they brought lunch. ju10.png|Wouldn't it be funny if we made the break through. ju12png|Does that computer have... ju11png|Acknowledging Bernadette's sexy comment. ju13.png|Bernadette ju14.png|Did the guy say it has...? ju15.png|Howard acknowledging Bernie's sexy comment. ju16.png|Bernadette. ju17.png|In the lab. ju18.png|Mad at Amy. ju19.png|Are you taking that from me too? ju20.png|Excited about how fast it setup. ju21.png|Going to put his old computer into storage. ju22.png|Out picking up their solder. ju23.png|Would you like to see a pre-release viewing of the new Wil Smith movie? ju24.png|Bernadette. ju25.png|The girls helping out the world of science. ju26.png|Penny playing scientist. ju27.png|Raj wants to help. ju28.png|I need to know where we're heading. ju29.png|Waiting for the preview to start. ju30.png|Texting Raj about missing the movie. ju31.png|The wives can't believe their husbands went to a movie. ju32.png|Plotting against their lying husband. ju33.png|Walking into the you-store it facility. ju34.png|Sheldon's storage locker. ju35.png|Sheldon never throws anything away. ju36.png|What's this all about? ju37.png|Amy in shock after leaning about Sheldon's pack rat obsession. ju38.png|Amy trying to say something about his obsession without hurting him. ju39.png|Sweetie, you couldn't handle making out with both of us. ju40.png|All the clock radios I ever owned. ju41.png|Sheldon saved every toothbrush he every had. ju42.png|Flowers and an apology for Penny. ju43.png|Flowers and an apology for Bernadette. ju44.png|THe girls already know. ju45.png|You're busted, dud. ju46.png|Shamy thinking about Sheldon's pack rat complex. ju47.png|I could start throwing things out with this gold ball. ju48.png|Sheldon moving on. ju49.png|The golf ball rolling back into the storage bin saved by Sheldon. ju50.png|Tea at night. ju51.png|What did you have in mind? ju53.png|Sheldon talking to Amy in bed on Skype. ju52.png|Amy wondering why she had to go home to Skype with Sheldon. ju54.png|Sheldon excited about the high resolution of his new computer. Category:Season 9 Category:Bernadette Category:Amy Category:Leonard Category:Sheldon Category:Howard Category:Raj Category:Howard-Bernadette Category:Leonard & Penny Married Category:Penny Hofstadter Category:The Big Bang Theory Category:Shamy Category:Halley Wolowitz Category:Movies Category:Computers Category:Jim Parsons Category:Raj Talks Without Alcohol Category:Skype Category:No Stuart appearance (Season 9) Category:No Emily appearance (Season 9) Category:No Claire appearance Category:Penny has a job Category:Spring episodes